Sentinel Business Owners

94 percent of Union Members Never Voted for a Union

According to the latest research conducted by labor regulation expert James Sherk, at The Heritage Foundation, only 6 percent of unionized workers ever voted for their own union. This number is startlingly low considering the fact that the main purpose of a labor union is to represent current workers.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) was first created back in 1935 for the purpose of being an impartial arbitrator mediating disputes between union workers and businesses. Over the years, and particularly under the current Administration, the NLRB has forsaken it’s originally duty and instead props up union bosses over business owners and their workers. Ambush elections, the Joint Employer Standard, Micro-Unions, and the lack of secret-ballot voting options are the latest examples of this trend.

As of today under NLRB regulation, unions do not have to regularly stand for re-election. It is very difficult for workers to force a re-election on their current union and the NLRB allows unions to organize workers without a majority support from the workforce or even an election. No wonder 94 percent of unionized members didn’t vote for their current union!

Federal legislation is currently pending now that would help ensure labor unions represent the wants and needs of current employees. Introduced by Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) and supported by 134 members, the Employee Rights Act (H.R. 3222) would allow employees to vote on re-electing their union once a majority of their firm’s workforce has turned over and guarantee employees the right to a secret-ballot vote before joining a union, going on strike or accepting a contract. With only 6 percent of unionized workers represented by unions they voted for, the Employee Rights Act is needed now more than ever.